Fastening device for boxes, crates, and the like



l Patented June 5, 1951 FASTENING DEVICE FOR BOXES, CRATES, AND THE LIKEJohn Shaw and Cyril Walter Saunders, Hull,

England, assignors of one-third to Hull Merchants Amalgamated BoxCompany Limited, Hull, England, a British company Application April 19,1948, Serial No. 21,948 In Great Britain May 15, 1947 4 Claims. l

This invention relates to fastening devices for crates, boxes or likecontainers, which devices embrace the containers and serve to secure alid or similar removable part thereon.

When containers are furnished with removable lids or similar parts it iscustomary to nail or screw such parts in position when the container isof wood, or hinge the part in position and furnish it with a lock orsome other form of fastening. To make wooden and like containers secureit is often found necessary to fasten metal bands around the containerto secure the parts and reinforce the container. i

The object of this invention is to provide a simple form of fasteningdevice for containers having removable lids or parts.

Accordingly a fastening device for containers comprises a two-partmetallic or other band or strip of which one part embraces the body ofthe container and the other fits over the lid (or removable member)thereof, the two parts of the band being joined at one end by a loop,hinge or other anchorage device, and by a tensioned fastening loopelement or its equivalent at the other end capable of detachment fromone of the parts. The fastening loop element may be mounted resilientlyon the end of one part and engage a hook on the end of the other part.

The fastening device may comprise two bands of which one secured to onepart of a container is hooked at each end and the other secured to theother part of the container is furnished with an anchorage loop (or itsequivalent) at one end and a fastening loop (or its equivalent) mountedthrough spring means at the other end to afford relative movementbetween the two parts of the device. Each of the bands or strips may besecured by nails or screws or other means to its own particular part ofthe container. Also hooks may replace the loops.

Referring now to the accompanying drawing in which one embodiment of theinvention is shown:

Fig. 1 is a front perspective view of a container with this inventionapplied thereto;

Fig. 2 is a rear perspective view of the fastened container;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail perspective view of a front fastener; and

Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail perspective view of i a rear fastener.

In the particular embodiment of this invention shown for wooden boxes orcrates I having a removable lid 2, two (one or more may be used)fastening devices are provided to embrace a box and lid and secure thelatter rmly in position.

Each fastening device comprises two bands 3, 4 (or strips) of metal ofwhich the band 3 is adapted to be secured by nails or screws or othermeans to the body of the container and the other band 4 in a similarmanner to the lid. The first part is turned back at one end to form asmall eye 5 which forms a hinge for an anchorage loop 6 of metallic wireor the like. Said loop if made of spring or similar wire in the formshown provides a limited amount of resilience. Thus any longitudinaltension causes a sufficient amount of temporary deformation to elongateits overall length and on release of the tension the loop will returntoits normal formation. The eye is maintained by turning the band backfar enough for a nail or screw to be driven through the doubled bandinto the box or other container. Another eye 'l is formed at theopposite end of this band and this can also be retained in shape in asimilar manner as shown. In this case the eye is of elongated formationand a coiled spring 8 is slipped thereinto before the band is secured inposition. This coiled spring is of substantially oval or fiat loopformation so as to lie snugly against the box in use. A fastening loop 9is then secured to the said spring and this loop may also be of metallicwire with its two arms tting down within the spring and then being bentback at each end Il) to hook round the inner or lower coil of thisspring. Thus the ends of said loop will be anchored to one end of thespring and the other end of the spring will bear against the outer endof the elongated eye of the band so that any outward pull on the loop inthe plane of the band will be transmitted to the latter through thespring and relative movement afforded between the two parts. The otherband 4 of the fastening device comprises a simple metallic band (orstrip) which is turned down at each end against the edges of the lid andthen backwardly to form two small open hooks I I.

A container having devices of the above type simply requires the lid tobe placed in position and the pivoted anchorage loops 6 engaged with theadjacent hooks Il of the bands 4 on the lid. The spring mountedfastening loops 9 are then pulled against the action of their springs 8and slipped over the adjacent hooks Il of the lid bands. To facilitatethis engagement the said loops may be engaged by a hook or other toolheld in the hand of the person securing the lids. This device not onlyprovides a simple method of fastening the lid in position without fearof damage but it enables the lid to be removed again without damage in avery easy manner. At the reduction in the contents of theoontaineidrin'g transit and storage.

held securely in position andadaptitself-auto'-` Thus the lid WillalWay'sbe matically to any change in the b'iilk--of=tlliecon' tents.

The term band or strip as used hereinire" tended to include anyequivalent,A sirenas any elongated loop of metallic or other Wire; ortwo.'

short bands instead of each long band 3 or 4. Also both the anchorageandfastening loops "('or other devices) may be of the spring mounted type 9lor'the--sp'rin-gy type l.'

Wecl'aim: Y

1.l A! band type fastener ferita liddedontamer including a first bandmember extendingiacros's andover the -sides of the-lid of'the'containerf a second band member extending under-'the lcottlnriA andup along the sides of the'con-ta-ier; one lof* said'- band membershaving-a hook-formed at each end thereof, the other of saidbandy membershaving an eyev formed at eachend thereof spaced from said hooks when thelid -isposition'ed on'fthev container; a: r'esiliently extensibleloopedconnecting member rcarried by each'` of said eyes? andier'ga'geable with saldi hoo-ks, at least one of said astenia its igf.

4 eyes being elongated, a compression spring mounted in the elongatedeye and one of the looped connecting members having end portionsanchored to said compression spring and a looped portion engageable withone of saidA hooks to secure-the lid resi-liently 'on `the container.

2. A fastener according to claim 1 in which the compression spring is ofsubstantially flat loop formation. Y

ALffasterer according to claim Y1 in which the endsiof the loopedconnecting member extend alongoppositesidesof the elongated eye throughthezcoiisfofthefspring and are hooked around the'end'coil thereon 4.-A'fastenerlac'cording to claim 1 in which the resilientlyextensibleconnecting member carried comprises a length of spring wire bent uponitself Y toorlnacentral loop and arcuately shaped p0r- REFERENCES CITEDThe following 'references are of record inthe lefof this` patent'.

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number` Name Date 439,219 Reeves June 17, 1890y492,470 Osgood Feb.-28, 1893- 994,427 Ross June 6,A 1911 by. thesecondeye of the second band member

